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When Analisa Garcia graduated from �������� in 2022, she knew she wanted more than just a job. She wanted a career rooted in her deepening commitment to sustainability.

Today, Analisa is the Senior Community Impact and Logistics Manager at Make It Home, a Marin-based furniture bank that furnishes homes for individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness. The organization, which operates throughout the Bay Area, recycles, repurposes, and curates donated furniture and goods to turn empty spaces into homes. 

In the five years Analisa has worked at Make It Home — starting as an intern before being hired first part-time and then becoming a full-time employee shortly after graduation — the organization has served about 3,000 households and diverted more than 3,300 tons of furniture from landfills.

It’s a rewarding role within an organization that continues to grow in terms of size, reach, and services. Analisa remains grateful for ��������’s role in preparing her for the workplace — from coursework that built strong professional skills to career services that facilitated her initial introduction.

However, �������� wasn’t initially on Analisa’s radar during her college search.

She knew she wanted to stay in California, within driving distance of her family, and sought a small, close-knit campus that reflected the learning environment she enjoyed at Moreau Catholic High School in Hayward.

While applying to colleges through the Common App, Analisa noticed a message that �������� was waiving its application fee. The location and size looked like a good fit.

“�������� was already in the Common App system,” she recalls. “So, I thought — why not apply?”

After being accepted, Analisa visited �������� for the first time. She was captivated by the walkable campus and its natural beauty. She particularly liked what she heard about the campus community.

“Once I toured and learned about the small classrooms and close relationships with professors, I knew this was the right place for me,” she says. “�������� felt the right size. I was so used to learning in a smaller environment and really wanted to continue with that in college. I didn’t want to be in a classroom with 200 other students.” 

Analisa began her college journey as a psychology major, living in the residence halls before later moving off campus. Early in her studies, she participated in service-learning courses that placed her in local elementary and middle schools, where she gained firsthand insight into the economic pressures facing Marin’s low-income residents. Although she enjoyed psychology, Analisa realized she wanted to develop skills more directly applicable to the workplace, including marketing, financial management, and accounting, which led her to change her major to business administration.

“The business program taught me so much — not just about business, but about how to function as a professional,” Analisa says. 

Courses like Exploring the World of Business and Business Communication left a lasting impact. 

“EWB was the most influential class for me. We heard from �������� alumni who were honest about where they started, where they were now, and how their careers evolved. Seeing real people who once sat in our seats made what came next feel possible.”

Career support at �������� played a major role in shaping Analisa’s confidence. The business school’s career development office regularly shared internship and job opportunities tailored to students’ academic and career interests.

“It meant so much to know that companies were genuinely open to hiring �������� students,” Analisa says.

One internship opportunity stood out. Make It Home’s founder and CEO Carolyn Rebuffel Flannery contacted �������� seeking an intern. From the moment Analisa read about the organization, she was hooked. 

“I had never thought about what happens after someone who was formerly homeless gets into housing,” Analisa says. “Many people end up sleeping on the floor because they don’t have a bed. They keep their belongings in trash bags. These details matter. By creating a true home environment, Make It Home sets people up for success.”

Each Make It Home project is styled with gently used furniture, accessories, and textiles. The goal is to not only create functional, comfortable and welcoming spaces but also keep furniture out of the landfills. 

This focus on sustainability resonates deeply. While working part-time in retail during college, Analisa became increasingly aware of waste in the fashion industry. 

“Seeing how much plastic was thrown away never felt good,” she says. “Make It Home does the opposite by rescuing furniture that would otherwise end up in landfills.”

Analisa initially interned for six months and was then hired to work part-time during her junior and senior years. She stepped into a full-time role immediately after graduation. Early on, it was a small team, and Analisa wore many hats: invoicing, coordinating with social service agencies, approving furniture donations, organizing the warehouse, managing volunteers, and helping physically furnish homes.

Susan Brennan, Make It Home’s board president, has witnessed Analisa’s journey from the very first employee to a senior leader at the heart of the organization.

“Taking on whatever was needed in our early startup days—from administrative work to warehouse organization, she was instrumental in building the foundation of the organization,” Susan recalls. 

“ As the organization expanded, so did her responsibilities.  Today, Analisa is an accomplished and trusted senior manager, leading complex programs with skill, consistency, and heart.   What started as an internship has grown into a meaningful career, marked by dedication, versatility, and a deep commitment to the mission.”

Today, Make It Home has grown into a nine-person full-time team and a strong group of volunteers. Analisa oversees the organization’s services program, managing relationships with more than 100 agency partners, coordinating delivery schedules across the Bay Area, and overseeing all other logistics for the non-profit’s delivery vehicles. What once meant serving 15–20 households a month has grown to 50–70 households monthly.

One of Analisa’s proudest accomplishments has been working on the expansion of Make It Home’s community space projects, focused on furnishing entire affordable housing developments. Recently Make It Home helped transform Casa Canal in San Rafael from an empty office building into housing units for formerly unhoused individuals, furnishing not only the apartments but also the shared community spaces. The success of the Casa Canal development has led to additional projects with the same developer elsewhere in the Bay Area, furnishing individual units and shared community spaces for low-income families and seniors.

For Analisa, what began as a chance application became the foundation for a purpose-driven career. Looking back, she is grateful for how seamlessly �������� prepared her for life after graduation.

“I have friends from other colleges still trying to figure out their professional path,” she notes. “�������� made internships and career alignment a priority, and that made all the difference.”